One of the promises of the Human Genome Project –which was published 25 years ago this year– was that our genome would allow us to predict what we are like and what we will get sick from. The predictions of the 1990s, when the project began, were very optimistic and perhaps to some extent naive, because genetic information is not linear or simple, but complex, with many levels of regulation and interaction. Furthermore, environmental factors must also be taken into account, including diet, exercise, stress, and also, very importantly, the history of diseases and infections throughout life, which impacts our long-term health.

They had 2,400 followers on Instagram, from where they offered for the same price a shot of botox and another of hyaluronic acid in the lips so that they would look plumper. The account published offers and saving bundles, and there were plenty of responses and comments from clients apparently satisfied with the aesthetic treatments received. But it was all a deception. The clinic was not a usual premises, but an apartment, and it was not advertised on the street as a medical center. Inside, hanging on the walls, were several diplomas, all fake. The botox they injected had no medical guarantee, and the person administering it had no medical training.

Artificial intelligence is already part of the daily life of primary care in Catalonia. In fact, ChatGPT is the most used tool by family doctors, far ahead of other options, according to a study published in The Lancet Primary Care. The work, promoted by the Societat Catalana de Medicina Familiar i Comunitària (CAMFiC) and led by Antoni Sisó, shows that AI has become a regular support in tasks such as medical literature research, text drafting, or clinical session preparation.

U-turn by the Department of Health. The Conselleria will next week withdraw the pilot program that provided incentives for primary care centers (CAPs) to ensure that sick leaves for mental health and musculoskeletal injuries are not excessively prolonged. Two months ago, Health had begun informing CAPs that they would receive more budget if they avoided absences without a diagnosis and delays in the appointments needed to assess a person who is on sick leave and, if they have already recovered, to discharge them.

Nevin Cohen (Brooklyn, New York, 1962) is an expert in public food policies and director of the Urban Food Policy Institute – belonging to the City University of New York – and advocates for actions that can lead to more egalitarian, sustainable, and healthy food. He visits Barcelona to participate in the first international congress of the FARO observatory on the future of food, held at the University of Barcelona, where he is amazed by its historic building. “How beautiful it is to study here,” he says, taking a photo of the cloister.

The name of Juan Maeso will be forever associated with one of the most serious and complex medical malpractice cases in the State, both for the modus operandi and for the extremely high number of victims. The anesthesiologist was sentenced to 1,933 years in prison for infecting nearly 300 patients with hepatitis C in the 1990s in Valencia. As confirmed this Tuesday to Efe by his lawyer, Miguel Ferrer, Maeso died on Monday in hospital after a long illness which, in fact, allowed him to be released on conditional parole in 2023 after serving fifteen years in prison.

A Healthcare Assistance, doctors and users lead a unique healthcare cooperative model. Medical judgment, quality of care, and human relationships are the pillars upon which their medical universe is consolidated. It is a cooperative healthcare model where doctors practice medicine with full professional freedom, articulated through exclusive services, its own specialties, and a reference hospital: the Hospital de Barcelona.

In 2022, the San Juan de Dios Hospital (SJD) inaugurated the Pediatric Cancer Center of Barcelona (PCCB), an international center with the capacity to treat more than 400 new cases of childhood cancer per year. That same year, a pathway was created for families from Peru, most of them highly vulnerable and desperate due to their children's dramatic situation, who came to Catalonia to receive treatment in the hospital's oncology department. Now, the Catalan Health Department intends to put an end to this: they have detected regular flows of patients to the SJD, a privately owned public center, as well as the arrival of patients of other nationalities to Vall d'Hebron and Sant Pau Hospital, and they want to regulate it. When the PCCB was launched four years ago by the Peruvian medical director, Andrés Morales, the aim was to internationalize the center and attract patients from other countries in order to fill all the beds and make it profitable. Currently, 65% of the beds are occupied. According to data from the Catalan Health Department (Salut), foreign patients represented almost half of all minors treated at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in 2025. Specifically, of the 252 children hospitalized, 123 were born outside of Spain. However, the majority of patients who have arrived since 2022 for cancer treatment are part of the public healthcare system; that is, they do not pay for treatment, as they would in a private hospital, and access services with a health card. In fact, the hospital treats almost two-thirds of all foreign pediatric patients in the Catalan healthcare system.

Catalan researchers have identified the first three cases in the world of a hereditary genetic disease in children conceived with a single anonymous sperm donor. Professionals from the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, in collaboration with the allergy department of the University Hospital of Santa Maria de Lleida and the Biomedical Research Institute (IRBLleida), have identified three cases of hereditary angioedema, a rare and serious blood disorder—causing swelling of the face, hands, feet, limbs, genitals, intestinal tract, or upper respiratory tract—in the children of three women who underwent assisted reproduction. The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, It began with the case of a patient with recurrent swelling in her face and other parts of her body, with no apparent cause and unresponsive to standard allergy treatments. After ruling out allergies, doctors suspected the woman might have a rare form of hereditary angioedema, a theory confirmed by genetic testing, which identified the T328K variant of the F12 gene, commonly associated with this condition. Since she was conceived using sperm from an anonymous donor, researchers contacted the relevant fertility clinic, which coordinated the study with the sperm bank. They confirmed that the donor was a heterozygous carrier of the T328K variant of the F12 gene. Following this confirmation, the clinic notified other women who had received sperm from the same donor, and researchers identified two more carriers of the same genetic variant who currently have no symptoms of the disease. "From a genetic point of view, this case is especially relevant because it demonstrates how a pathogenic variant can go undetected in an asymptomatic donor and be transmitted to several offspring," explains Roger Colobran, head of the translational immunology group at VHIR. The research team points out that this finding highlights the challenges posed to gamete donation programs by dominant genetic diseases—those that can develop with only one copy of the affected gene—and which manifest differently in individuals carrying the mutation. Colobran clarifies that assisted reproduction processes "are safe and reliable," and even notes that "genetically, it is safer than spontaneous mating." Thus, transmissible infectious diseases and the most common genetic diseases, which can number up to 300, are ruled out. Differences between men and women

Colobran adds that "zero risk does not exist," as many genetic diseases exist, and suggests that future carrier studies could include the pathogenic variant of the F12 gene. The authors believe that the results of this study suggest that targeted screening for the F12 gene could be considered in certain regions where this variant is more prevalent, such as the Iberian Peninsula, neighboring countries like France, and countries in North Africa and Latin America.

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Aina's life, and that of her family, changed suddenly when she was just six years old due to a brain tumor. Although benign, it affected vital functions such as her vision, and three surgeries and several sessions of radiotherapy were necessary to remove it. Eight years later, she still has to undergo routine checkups at the hospital, has frequent medical tests, and is learning to live with the aftereffects she will carry for the rest of her life. Because of the tumor, she is blind and suffers from several chronic illnesses that affect her daily life and independence. At school, classes and educational materials have been adapted so that she can keep up with her classmates. She has a support teacher who helps her in the classroom, and at home, everyone adjusts to her needs to make things easier for her. Her mother, Anna, explains that, despite the aftereffects of the tumor, they do everything they can to support her in this new life, which they want to be as normal as possible.

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Collecting a cooler full of blood samples from one hospital with a drone and transporting it to another saves time and improves connectivity. This was demonstrated on Tuesday at the Pallars Regional Hospital, testing what will be the first drone-based healthcare transport corridor in Spain. The project, led by the Departments of the Presidency and Health, will be launched this summer between this hospital in Tremp and the Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital in Lleida, where the samples were sent. The aim is to improve response times and territorial equity when sending blood bags, medications, and medical supplies. The use of drones on this first corridor between Tremp and Lleida will reduce the conventional road route from approximately 75 minutes to between 45 and 50 minutes. The choice of these two locations stems from the report Integration of drones into the health system: key areas for territorial deploymentA study prepared by the ICT Health and Social Foundation analyzes the feasibility of integrating this technology into the logistics operations of public hospitals. The report identifies ten strategic areas with 15 hospitals where routes could be deployed in the short and medium term, including the Lleida and Alt Pirineu i Aran health regions.

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A Mayo Clinic study has found that women experience brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease up to 20 times faster than men, attributing this to an imbalanced presence of alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein), a protein also linked to Parkinson's disease. In an article published in JAMA, researchers did not observe this pattern in men when the same factors were considered. According to the study, this interaction could help explain why women account for the majority of Alzheimer's cases—between 60% and 70%—in countries like the United States, a trend also observed in Spain and South Korea, among others, and influenced by variables such as life expectancy, hormonal factors, and social influences.

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On Tuesday, the Catalan Health Minister, Olga Pané, conditioned the healthcare reform on the approval of the 2026 budget, which projects €13,501.8 million for her department. This includes funding to increase, for example, the dispensing of hospital medications that allow for the management of chronic diseases that, a few years ago, were practically a death sentence, such as some types of cancer or cardiovascular diseases. The Catalan government's draft budget, which would increase healthcare spending by 17.6% compared to 2023—the last budget approved under the government of Pere Aragonès—also increases spending on primary care and mental health services, which the minister described as two of her department's priorities.

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One of the first things Diana and Carlos changed at home was their daily cosmetic products, such as deodorants, shampoos, hand soaps, and shower gels, replacing them with healthier options. Little by little, they replaced their kitchen utensils: they threw away plastic water bottles and lunchboxes, buying stainless steel and glass ones; then it was the turn of the frying pans, opting for non-stick versions, and wooden spoons to replace their silicone ones. They also implemented frequent handwashing.

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Myopia has skyrocketed in recent decades and has become a global problem. Around the year 2000, it affected approximately 23% of the world's population, but projections indicate that by 2050 almost half of humanity could be myopic. In any case, this rapid increase in myopia may have more to do with how we use our eyes indoors than with screen use. This is according to a study by [the relevant organization/institution]. SUNY College of OptometryPublished in the journal Cell Reports. Specifically, the researchers explain that looking very closely in low-light environments causes the retina to receive less stimulation, which could contribute to myopia.

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"The far-right and the ultra-right have announced the end of this government since day one. Now, moreover, by spreading hoaxes about my health." This is how Pedro Sánchez expressed himself this Thursday in a message on the social network X, with which he denied being ill. The Spanish president reacted after the far-right media outlet Libertad Digital, owned by Federico Jiménez Losantos, published alleged information this week claiming he suffers from a "cardiovascular condition". A theory that PP deputy Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo amplified this Wednesday in Congress.

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Alba Cuberas, a family doctor at the Manresa-4 Primary Care Center (CAP), sees a patient with intense back pain. She gives him a short sick leave and anti-inflammatory medication, but there is no improvement. With an X-ray, the rheumatologist recommends rehabilitation. "But nobody calls him. I see him once a month, and he's told me two months ago that he hasn't started the sessions," she says. In Sant Pol de Mar, Martín Cebollada suspects a patient may have a herniated disc and, to be sure, orders a CT scan. The wait is six months. "But he has debilitating pain, and I can't know for sure how serious it is; he can't go to work," he states. At the Manso Primary Care Center (CAP) in Barcelona, ​​Eva Segura is monitoring a patient on sick leave for severe depression, with a history of suicide attempts. In the fourth month, she receives the first discharge proposal from the insurance company, but she has just started psychiatric treatment, and the doctor rejects it. In the fifth month, the same request arrives, and she rejects it again. This happens four times. But against her advice (and that of the psychiatrist), the Catalan Institute of Medical Assessments (ICAM) sends the patient back to work, and the company, shortly afterward, declares her unfit. "She loses her job, and her health deteriorates significantly," she explains.

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The number of babies affected in Spain by consuming potentially contaminated milk—already recalled in some twenty countries—containing the cereulide toxin has risen to 41, thirteen of whom required hospitalization. All have since been discharged, although one required admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) due to gastrointestinal symptoms and a respiratory infection, the Ministry of Health reported on Thursday. The Spanish government has already notified the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as detailed in its weekly public health alert bulletin. The forty cases have been reported by ten autonomous communities, including Catalonia. These are: Andalusia, Aragon, the Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, Galicia, Murcia, La Rioja, and the Valencian Community. According to information published by the Spanish government, the average age of the affected infants is four months, and all have presented with gastrointestinal symptoms, mainly vomiting and diarrhea, with or without other associated symptoms. Ten additional cases with compatible symptoms have been reported in infants who consumed products from the recalled brands. In nine of the cases, it has not been possible to identify the batch of infant formula consumed.

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The Catalan healthcare system is in crisis and faces a number of significant general challenges: climate change, globalization, new technologies, and artificial intelligence, in addition to more specific ones such as budget shortfalls, shortages of doctors and nurses, and demographic changes. Catalonia is one of the regions with the highest life expectancy and, at the same time, has a mortality rate exceeding its birth rate; that is, negative population growth. The combination of high life expectancy, low mortality, and low birth rate leads to a highly aged population. In 30 years, the percentage of the population aged 65 or over will exceed 30%, and of these, those aged 80 or over will approach 40%. It's not new, but it's a persistent trend with significant consequences for the healthcare system: greater frailty, an increase in chronic illnesses and multiple conditions, higher levels of dependency, and greater demand for care and social support. At the same time, Catalonia's population is growing. We are no longer the 6 million of the 1980s: we have surpassed 8 million. And this is thanks to immigration. It is estimated that by 2039 we will be more than 9 million. Thus, we have two patterns that entail two seemingly contradictory realities: simultaneous aging and population growth, both impacting healthcare demand and spending. Ultimately, our healthcare system is still based on the model of the 1980s, but the entire environment has changed. We start from a position of chronic underfunding, and the political, social, and economic outlook suggests that future priorities will not include strengthening the welfare state. On the other hand, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals, especially doctors and nurses. Increased demand and a lack of staff mean overcrowding. And, by the way, artificial intelligence can be very useful, but it doesn't work miracles. It's a complement, not a substitute.

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The North American healthcare system forces many people to go into debt to receive medical treatment. For this reason, families sometimes launch crowdfunding campaigns through websites like Go Fund Me to cover medical expenses. One of the anonymous donors to these campaigns is one of the protagonists of the comedy The Big Bang Theory, Kunal Nayyar, who for 12 seasons played the character of Rajesh Koothrappali. As revealed in an interview with the British newspaper iNews, which has now gone viral on social media, one of his hobbies is to use the fortune he made from the series to help causes he deems important. "Money has given me the greatest freedom and the greatest gift is the ability to give back, to change people's lives," says the actor, born in the UK but living in the United States for years.

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